Semiconductor light emitting device

• US 6,107,644 A
• Filed: 01/23/1998
• Issued: 08/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ROHM Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: ROHM Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Shakuda, Yukio, Sonobe, Masayuki, Nakata, Shunji, Tsutsui, Tsuyoshi, Itoh, Norikazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Prenty, Mark V.
• Application Number:
  US09/012,209
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 257/79, 257/99, 257/773
• US Class Current: 257/79
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/14 with a carrier transport control structure, e.g. highly-doped semiconductor layer or current-blocking structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/20 with a particular shape, e.g. curved or truncated substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/32 containing nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/38 with a particular shape

Abstract

A semiconductor light emitting device has semiconductor layers including a first conductivity type semiconductor layer and a second conductivity type semiconductor layer formed on a substrate. A first electrode is formed in electrical connection with the first conductivity type semiconductor layer on a surface side of the semiconductor layers. The second conductivity type semiconductor layer is exposed by partly etch-removing an end portion of the semiconductor layers. A second electrode is provided in electrical connection with the exposed second conductivity type layer. The first and second electrodes are formed such that the electrodes are in parallel, in plan form, with each other at opposite portions thereof. As a result, the current path is constant in electric resistance, providing a semiconductor light emitting device that is constant in brightness, long in service life and high in brightness.

Claims

1. A semiconductor light emitting device comprising:

a substrate in a quadrilateral form;

semiconductor layers formed, of a gallium-nitride based compound semiconductor, on said substrate to include a first conductivity type semiconductor layer and a second conductivity type semiconductor layer;

a first electrode formed in electrical connection with said first conductivity type semiconductor layer provided on a surface side of said semiconductor layers;

a second electrode formed in electrical connection with said second conductivity type semiconductor layer exposed by partly etch-removing an end portion in plan of said semiconductor layers; and

wherein said first and second electrodes are formed such that said electrodes are in parallel, in plan form, with each other at opposite portions thereof wherein said electrodes are light shields; and

wherein said semiconductor light emitting device further comprises a current diffusion layer provided on said semiconductor layers at the surface side of said semiconductor layers.

2. A semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein an end form of said first conductivity type semiconductor layer which is left unetched in the etching and said second electrode are formed in parallel, in plan form, with each other at opposite portions thereof.

3. A semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein at least said first electrode is formed at substantially an entire surface of said semiconductor layer thereof on which said electrode is provided.

6. A semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein said substrate is a sapphire substrate, and said semiconductor layers being of a gallium-nitride based compound semiconductor.

4. A semiconductor light emitting device comprising:

a substrate in a quadrilateral form;

semiconductor layers formed, of a gallium-nitride based compound semiconductor, on said substrate to include a first conductivity type semiconductor layer and a second conductivity type semiconductor layer;

a first electrode formed in electrical connection with said first conductivity type semiconductor layer provided on a surface side of said semiconductor layers;

a second electrode formed in electrical connection with said second conductivity type semiconductor layer exposed by partly etch-removing an end portion in plan of said semiconductor layers;

wherein said first and second electrodes are formed such that said electrodes are in parallel, in plan form, with each other at opposite portions thereof wherein said electrodes are light shields;

wherein at least said first electrode is formed at substantially an entire surface of said semiconductor layer thereof on which said electrode is provided; and

wherein said substrate is formed in a rectangular form in plan, and said first and second electrodes being separately provided in a lengthwise direction of said rectangular form.

5. A semiconductor light emitting device comprising:

a substrate in a quadrilateral form;

semiconductor layers formed, of a gallium-nitride based compound semiconductor, on said substrate to include a first conductivity type semiconductor layer and a second conductivity type semiconductor layer;

a first electrode formed in electrical connection with said first conductivity type semiconductor layer provided on a surface side of said semiconductor layers;

a second electrode formed in electrical connection with said second conductivity type semiconductor layer exposed by partly etch-removing an end portion in plan of said semiconductor layers;

wherein said first and second electrodes are formed such that said electrodes are in parallel, in plan form, with each other at opposite portions thereof wherein said electrodes are light shields; and

wherein said substrate is formed in a rectangular form in plan, and said first and second electrodes being separately provided in a lengthwise direction of said rectangular form.

7. A semiconductor light emitting device comprising:

a substrate in a quadrilateral form;

semiconductor layers formed of a gallium-nitride based compound semiconductor on said substrate to include a first conductivity type semiconductor layer and a second conductivity type semiconductor layer;

a current diffusion layer provided in said semiconductor layer on a surface side thereof;

a first electrode formed on a surface of said current diffusion layer to have electrical connection with said first conductivity type semiconductor layer;

a second electrode formed in electrical connection with said second conductivity type semiconductor layer exposed by partly etch-removing an end portion in plan of said semiconductor layers; and

wherein said current diffusion layer left unetched in the etching and said second electrode are formed to have an equi-distance given therebetween, in plan form, at opposite portions thereof, and at least said first electrode of said electrodes having voids formed therethrogh.

8. A semiconductor light emitting device comprising:

a substrate in a quadrilateral form;

semiconductor layers formed of a gallium-nitride based compound semiconductor on said substrate to include a first conductivity type layer and a second conductivity type layer;

a current diffusion layer provided in said semiconductor layer on a surface side thereof;

a first electrode formed on a surface of said current diffusion layer to have electrical connection with said first conductivity type semiconductor layer;

a second electrode formed in electrical connection with said second conductivity type semiconductor layer exposed by partly etch-removing an end portion in plan of said semiconductor layers; and

wherein said current diffusion layer left unetched in the etching and said second electrode are formed to have an equi-distance given therebetween, in plan form, at opposite portions thereof, and both said first and second electrodes being formed along one side in plan form of said substrate.

9. A semiconductor light emitting device comprising:

a substrate;

semiconductor layers formed on said substrate to include a first conductivity type semiconductor layer and a second conductivity type semiconductor layer;

a first electrode formed in electrical connection with said first conductivity type semiconductor layer of said semiconductor layers;

a second electrode formed in electrical connection with said second conductivity type semiconductor layer of said semiconductor layers; and

wherein said first electrode has voids formed therethrough so that light is radiated through a surface on which sad first electrode is provided.

10. A semiconductor light emitting device comprising:

a substrate in a quadrilateral form;

semiconductor layers formed of a gallium-nitride based compound semiconductor on said substrate;

a first electrode formed in electrical connection with said first conductivity type semiconductor layer in said semiconductor layers on a surface side thereof;

a second electrode formed in electrical connection with said second conductivity type semiconductor layer exposed by partly etch-removing an end portion in plan of said semiconductor layers; and

wherein both said first and second electrodes are provided along one side in plan form of said substrate.